Accentuating device for automatic musical instruments.



No. 861,260. PATENTED JULY 30, 11901.

G.S.B-URTOVN. AGGENTUATING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13. 1904.

2 SHEET$-SHEET 1.

PATBNTED JULY 30,1967.

' 0. s. BURTON. ICE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL I/NSTRUM APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 13 1904.

AGGENTUATING DEV ENTS.

a &

vzveno 7" l CHARLES S. BURTON, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

ACOENTUATING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL Specification 02. Letters Patent.

INSTRUMENTS.

Patented 31113730, 1907.

Application filed June 13,1904. Serial llo. 212,249.

-To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Cnannns S. BURTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Accentuating Devices for Automatic Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention is designed to provide, in an automatic musical instrument or player, new and improved means for accentuating automatically by means of the constructiorrof the perforated sheet, any selected note or notes.

It consists of the features and characteristics of com siruction set out in the claims,

In the diPawingSz-d igure l is a fore-and-ait'vertical section through the pneumatic action of an automatic player embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section at the line 2-2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section at the line 3-3 on Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of a perforated controlling sheet employed in my invention. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the pneumatic action. Fig. 6 is a section at the line G6 011 Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of a portion of a perforated controlling sheet for use in my invention in a different form from that shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a detail top edge or plan view of a portion of a tracker board for use with the per forated sheet shown in Fig. 7, a portion of the top plate or mouth-piece being broken away to show the construction beneath. Fig. 9 is a section at the line 9-9 on Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a siniilar section showing a slightly inodilied form of the mouthpiece or top plate of the tracker board. Fig. l] is a detail inverted. plan view of said mouth-piece in the form shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the elements or blocks making up the pneumatic action containing the leading to the primary pneumatic. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of one of the spacing and partitioning plates. Fig. 14 is a section at the line 14 14 on Fig. 5. A specific purpose of my invention is to avoid the necessity for a double sct of air ducts or throats in the tracker-board in carrying out the principal purpose of providing means for, causing the motor pncumatics to operate with two degrees of intensity at differ-cut times. 1 have shown in the drawings a tracker-board, l, of ordinary construction, that is, having a singlc set of air ducts, one duct 1" being provided for ach notc to be struck or sounded by the player, and a perforated coin trolling sheet, 2, operated in the usual manner ovcr the mouthof such tracker-board for controlling thc ducts. I have shown the tracker-board, for convenience of illustrating thodcvicc with fewcst details of mechanical c mstructiou, mounted by means of brackcis, 3, upon' the board, l, of the pmnnnatic action. in thc pneumatic action an exhaust or partial vacuum chamber, 5, extends ovcr the entire range oi the action containing ducts them, and end-blocks, 9 completing the structure and closing the chambers at the ends. Each of said ducts, 1U, communicates with one of the pneumatics, 6, at a port, 10, and with the corresponding pneumatic, 7, through a port, 10 The primary neumatics, 7, operatethe valves, 11, 1], etc., for controlling the motor ,pneumatics, 12, 12, etc., in a manner well understood,

that is, so that when the valve, 1], is seated over the port, 8, leading into the chamber, 8, the motor pneumatic is in communication through the port, 8", with the outer air, and is inflated; and when the position of the valve is reversed so that it closes the port, 8 the motor pneumatic is in communication through the port, 8, with the chamber, 8, and exposed to the exhaust tension therein, and is collapsed. Each of the pneumatics, 6, operates a valve, 14, controlling ports, 5", and 13, the former leading from the chamber, 5, and the latter from a chamber, 13, at the opposite side of the duct-board, 4, from the chamber, 5. Each of the valve chambers, 15, in which the valve, 14, is contained, communicates by passagtn'lti, with the corresponding chamber, 8. The chamber, 5, is in communication,

through any convenicnt means, as a pipe, 18, with a loiwtension exhaust bellows or receiver (not shown), and the chamber, 13, is in communication, as by pipe, 18, with what may be termed a hightension exhaust bellows or receiver not shown; the terms, high, and low, as applied to these chambers being relative merely, indicating simply that in the chamber, 5, there is maintained a lower degree of exhaust tension than in the chamber, 13. The primary pncumatics, 7, are each provided with a leak port, 19, but the primary pncumatics, (3, are without any leak port.

The perforated controlling sheet, 2, has the controlling aporturcs, 20, for registration with the duct months in the tracker range in the usual parallel rows, and of such width as to afford free and instantaneous vent when they register with the tracker-range mouths respectively; and in addition to these apertures, 20, for certain purposes about to be explained, it has minute pmforations, 21, just in advance of certain of the apertures, 20. The perforations, 2], are substantially equal to the leak ports, 19, in the pnoumatics, 7, so that the amount of air which is conducted to the trackerrange ducts when these minute apertures, 21, register with the mouths of the ducts, is substantially equal to that which can pass throng the leak port of the chamber.

correspondingprimary pneumatic, 7. As the controlling sheet advances over the tracker-range it will happen, therefore, that when a minute perforation, 21, which, for convenience of mention, I term a pilot port, passes the tracker board the corresponding primary pneumatic, 7, will not be affected, because its leak port will take care of all the air that can enter through the pilot port, 21. The primary pneumatic, 6, however, being withouta leak port, will be affected by the air admitted through the pilot port, 21, and will be inflated, causing the valve, 14,- to shift from the position shown in Fig. 1, so that it will uncover the port, 5, and cover the port, 13, thereby putting the corresponding chamber, 8,- in communication with the. low-tension chamber, 5, instead of with the hightension chambenl-l. Immediately after this has occurred, the full width of the aperture, 20, of the perforated sheet reaching the month of the tracker duct admits air freely to the primary pneumatic, 7, far in excess of the capacity ofitsleak port, 19, and the inflation of such primary pneumatic which results operates the valve, 11, to cause the motor pneumatic, 12, to be collapsed and to operate the proper key of the instrument. The force with which the motor pneumatic strikes thp blow will be that afforded by the low-tension from the chamber, 5, since it is in communication with that chamber when the valve, 11, is opened by the primary pneumatic, 7. When an aperture, 20, which is not preceded by the pilot port, 21, reaches the mouth of the trackerduet, the primarypneumatic, 7, will be inflated instantly and before the primary pneumatic, 6, because the pneumatic, 6, is exposed to the low exhaust tension in its chamber, whereas the pneumatic, 7, is exposed to the high tension derived from the chamber, 13; and by such instantaneous action of the primary pneumatic, 7, before the valve, 14, is shifted, the-motor pneumatic, 12, is collapsed by the high exhaust tension and strikes a harder blow than if it had been col lapsed by the low-tension derived from the chamber, 5. The result is that all notes sounded by ineansof an aperture, 20, which are not preceded by a perforation, 21, will be sounded loud, and those which are produced by the apertures preceded by the pilot perforation will be. sounded softly. The arranger of the perforated sheet can therefore determine the accented notes, either for the purpose of marking the accented beats of the measures throughout the entire chord, or for distinguishing the melody from the accompaniment, or vice versa, or for any other purpose for which, according to his musical taste and judgment, such selected aeccntuation is desirable.

ltwill be seen thatif an entire group of the ducts, 10, is cut off or closed between the ports, 10" and 10', leaving only the hitter ports in communication with the tracker-ducts, all notes in such group will be sounded with the force derived from the high-tension It is possible, therefore, independently of the pilot perforations, to accentuat c all the notes in any group whose ducts, 10, are provided with closures. The entire range of the instrument may be divided into as many groups as desirable for the purpose of such accentuation by groups or as a whole.- The drawings therefore illustrate a construction in which theducts, 10, are controlled in two groups, one for the lower part instrument. For this purpose, the duet-board has at the forward side the recess, 9, in which there are seated the two slides, 9 and 9, which are in the nature of valves having in them the portions, 10", of the ducts, 10, said portions terminating at the inner surface of said slides or valves, having their opposite terminal openings spaced from each other suitably to cause them to register simultaneously with the outer ends of the respective ports '10 and 10', of the ducts, 10. The recess, 9, is sullieientl'y wider than the valves or slides, E) and 9, to permit the latter a range of movement both upand down from the position at which the terminal mouths of their ducts register as described with the ports, 10 and 10". In addition to said portions, 10, of the air ducts, the valve boards or slides ha e ducts, 10, in the same vertical fore-and-aft planes with the ducts, 10", respectively, said apertures extending entirely through the valve boards and opening at both ends, that is, at the inner and outer surfaces of said boards, the inner end openings being just below the lower terminal openings of the ducts, 10. These valve boards or slides being lodged in the recess, 9, are retained and held normally at the intermediate position in the width of the recess at which their duct terminals register with the ports, 10 and 10', of the air ducts by means of bow springs, '50, 50, mounted at their middle points on the forward side of the duct board and hearing at their ends upon the pins, 51, 5t, 51, 51, near the ends and upper and lower edges of said slides (see Fig. 5). Guards, 52, fastened upon the front surface of the duct board extend over the forward suriace of the valve boards or slides and retain them with slight pressure seated in the recess, 9". When the slides or valve boards are at their intcrnlcdiate-which maybe termed their normal-position, at which the springs, 50, 50, tend to hold thein, the portions, 10, of the ducts communicate at the upper end with the remaining upper portion, and at the lower end with the remaining lower portion of the ducts, 10, and thereby effect communication from the tracker duets with both pneuinatics, (i and 7. If the valve boards or slides are depressed to the limit of their range of ver tical movement in the recess, 9, the portions, 10, of the ducts in said valve boards are closed at both ends, and the primary-pneumatics, 43, are cut off from the tracker d nets while the primary pneumatics, 7, remain in communication therewill i. With this adjustment it will be seen that the l'n'ieumalics, 7, will be in communication only with the high tension chamber and that will be sounded loudly or with stroke corrmniomling to said high tension. It the valve boards or slides are lifted to the upper limit of their range of adjustment, the ducts, 10", will be closed at their upper end, and communication from the tracker ducts to the pneumatics, (5, will be thereby cut off and at the same time, the ducts, 10', will be brought into registration at their inner ends with the outer ends of the ports, 10', leading to the pneumatics, G, and thereby said pneumatics will be put in communication with the outer air and willbe inflated, causing them to seat the valves, 14, which they control, in position for admitting the air from the low tension chamber into the chambers of all the primary pneumatics, 7, of the group which is inr bass and the other for the upper part or treble of the eluded within the scope of the' slide or valve board all the notes sounded while this adjustment. continuesv its ing lever arms, 54", 54, and 55", 55, respectivel which engage the operating stems, 56, of the valve boards or slides, 9 and 9, as seen in Fig. 5. These shafts have each the additional lever arms, 57 and 58, the former projecting upward and the latter downward, and engaging the elongated eyes, 59, 59, mounted respectively upon the vibrating leaves of two horizontally hinged pneumatics, (50 and 61, which are oppositely mounted upon the forward side of the action and are controlled by primary pneumatics, 62 and 63, respectively, said primary pneumatics lor the bass being located at the left-hand end and for the treble at the right-hand end of the group or row of pncumatics, 7, in chambers, 84, partitioned from the adjacent chambers for the pncumatics, 7, respectively, but in direct communication by means of ducts, 65, with the high tension chamber, and having their valves, (33", operating in the same manner as the valves, 11, to control communication of the pneumatics, (i0 and (il, with said high tension chamber or with thp outer air according to the condition oi said primary neumatics inflated or collapsed. The primary pneumatics, 62 and (33, are

connected by ducts, (3G, with vent ports controlled by valves, 07, held normally vetted by springs, (38, and provided each with a push button, (it), accessible .to the operator for opening said valves at will and thereby venting the primary pneumatics and bringing the pneumatics, 60 and 6] into action. ll the pneumatic, (30, which is connected with the downwardly cxtending lever arm, 58, oi the rock shaft, 55, is brought into action by depr sing the corresponding button, (it), the valve board orslide will be depressed and the primary pneumatics, o, of the treble group being thereby all cut off l'rom communication with the tracker board, will remain collapsed, and all the tones inthe treble range sounded during this adjustment will be produced by strokes caused by the high tension chamber and will be correspondingly loud. if the other treble push button is depressed and. the pneumatic which is connected with the u iwardly-exteiuling arm, 57, of the rock shaft, 55, is brought into action, the valve board or slide will be lifted and thereby the primary pneumatic, (5, being cut off from communication with the tracker board but opened to the outer air, will become 55 and remain inflated, causing all the tones in the treble range sounded during this :uljustment to be produced by strokes caused by the low tension chamber and to be correspondingly soft. Similar control of the bass tones will he obtained by the other two push buttons,

60 causing the bass pneunmtics, (it) and or, to rock one way or the other the shaft, 54. The ducts, 6b, may have branches, 66, leading to ducts in the tracker bohrd, which may be vented by cor. :;')o'ridi11gly situg ed apertures, /Z-, 75, in the controlling sheet to pro- 65 d1 .ce automatically the same results which are prooi the ncumatic action above the recess 9 and havduced by the operator using the buttons, (39. This modification is obvious and requires no further explanation.

J. do not limit myself to the particular arrangement 01' the two groups of pneumatics, G and 7, nor to the 70 particular mechanism shown for cutting off the group of pncumatics, 6, from the tracker board ducts, and opening them to the outer air for controlling the tone of the entire instrument or portion thereof corresponding to the valve boards, 9" and 9-, respectively, and anyone familiar with the art will readily be able to devise other arrangements and relative locations of the several parts to produce the same result by means of the same principle.

t will be obvious that the pilot perforation, 21, when placed directly in advance of the full sized aperture, 2t), prevents making the bridge or interval ,between two consecutive full sized apertures which would be cut for repeating the same note, so short as it could otherwise be made, and thus may tend to prevent the rapid repetition ol a note with the low-tension or light stroke. This difficulty obviously could be overcome by giving the paper a more rapid travel than it would receive ii the pilot perforations were not being employed; but to avoid the necessity of ro- 9O sorting to this means, the expedient shown in Figs.

8, 9 and 10 with respect to the construction of the tracker-range, and in Fig. 7 with respect to the perl'orated roll, may be employed. This expedient consisls in providing the trackera'ange with a metal faceplate, 70, in which there are apertures, 71, lorming the ordinary mouth of the tracker-ducts 1, which are made shorter than the width of the ducts themselves in the ll'l(3l 0l'l.)0lll'(l, and register with said ducts l at one edge, and in which there are additional fine perforations, 72, which open at the outer surface of the plate, 70, a little back of the transverse line of apertures, 7i, at the inner face in position to register with the portion of the trackcr-diu-t i not covered by the aperture, 7l, This may be accomplished by drillingthe apertures, 72, obliquely through the plate, us shown in Fig. 10, or by cutting upon the under side of the plate or upon the upper side of the tracker-board which is to be faced by the plate, a short channel, 7; loading from the inner end of the perforation, 7'2, transversely with respect to the tmcluenbourd to the duct, l as illustrated in Figs. 9 and ii, the purpose in either case being to afford a passage from the opening of the perforation, 72, through the upper surface of the face plate into the duct I in the tracker-Jioard, thus giving to said duct two months, the lesser of which shall be reached by any given transverse line of the paper in its travel. sooner than the other. The perforated roll will then have the apertures, 20, as usual, but not wider than the aperture, 72, and the pilot perforation, 21, instead of standing directly in advance oi the aperture, 20, will stand at the side of said aperture even with the forward end of it. The provision of the perforation, 72, in the mouth of the tracker-board set l)ZlCl of the main mouth, 7], causes the pilot perforation, 21, which is only even with the forward end of the main perforation, 20, to afford vent to the primary pneumatic, (j, in advance of the vcnt which the primary pneumatic, 7, receives, by as much as the aperture, 71, is back of the aperture, 72, 130

thus effecting the same result as the location of the pilot aperture in front of the main aperture when the tracker duct i has only one mouth.

1. An automatic musical instrument or player, comprising. in combination with pneumatically operated playing devices, two sets of primary pneumatics, one set adapted to be operated b v less air supply than the other; a set of tracker ducts, each of which is connected with a primary of each set means for controlling admission of air to thev ducts adapted to admit, til-st, a less and afterward a greater supply; two sources of air under tension for actuating the playing devices and valves which intervene between said sources and the playing deviccs'operatlvely connected with the primary pneumatics which require the less air supply.

2. An automatic musical instrument or player, comprising, in combination with pneuinaticalfig, operated playing: devices, two sets of primary pneumacics, one set adapted to be operated by less air supply than the other; a set of tracker ducts, each of which is connected with a primary pneumatic of each set; means for controlling the admission of air to the ducts, adapted to admit first a less and afterward a greater supply; two sources of air under tension for actuating the playing devices; two sets of valves successively intervening between said sources on one hand and the pneumatic playing devices on the other, the set which directly controls said sources being operatively connected with the primary pneumatics which require the less air supply, and the other set being operatively connected with the primary pneumatlcs requiring the greater air supply.

3. An automatic musical instrument or player, comprising, in combination with playing devices and motor pneumutics which operate them, two sets of'primary pneumatics, one set adapted to be operated by less air supply than the other; a set of tracker ducts, each of which is connected'with a pneumatic of each set; means for controlling the admission of air to the ducts. adapted to ndmii first a less and afterward a'greater supply; two sources oi air under tension for actuatingthe motor pneumatlcs; two sets of valves successively intervening between said sources on the one hand and the motor pncumntlcs on the other hand, the iirst set in order from said sources being: operatlvely connected with the primary pneumatics which -require the less air supply, and the first set in order from the motor pncumatics being operatively connected with the primary pncumaiics requiring the greater air supply.

4. An automatic musical instrument or player, comprising, in combination with motor pneumatics, two sets of primary pncumutics, one set adapted to be operated by less air supply than the other; a set of tracker ducts, each of which is connected with a primary pneumatic of each set; means for controlling the admission of air to the ducts, adapted to admit first a less and afterward a greater supply; two sources of air under tension for actuating: the motor pneumatics; two sets of valves successively intervening between said sources on the one hand and the motor pncumatics on the other, the set next in order from said sources being operaiivcly connected with the primary pneumatics which require the less air supply, the other set being operai'ivcly connected wltlrthe primary pneumatics requiring: the greater air supply, and means for cutting oil" communication through the tracker ducts from the lirst act of primary pneumatic-s to the second.

An automatic musical instrument or player, comprising, in combination with motor pncumai'ics, two sets of primary pnomnaiics, one set adapted to be operaiedby less air supply than the other: a set of lraclrer ducts, each oi which is connected with a primary pneumatic of each set; means for controlling the admission of air to the ducts, mliipicd to admit iirsi a less and aftcrwa rd a greater supply: two sources oi air under tension for actuating the motor pncumut'ics; two sols oi \uivcs suci sslvciy intervening between said sources on the one hand and the molor'pncu matics on the other, the sci next in order from said sources being rmriraiivcly connected with the primary pcnumatics which require the less air supply, the other set being opcrativciy connected with the primary pucumatics requiring the greater air supply, and means for cutting off communication through the tracker ducts from the first to the second set of primary pneumatics, and for opening communication of the second set with the outer air.

6. An automatic musical instrument or player, compris ing, in combination with motor pneumatics, two sets of primary pneumatics, one set adapted to be operated by less air supply than the other; a set oi tracker ducts, each of which is connected with a primary pneumatic of each set; means for controlling the admission of air to the ducts, adapted to admit first a less and afterward a greater supply; two sources of air under tension for actuating the motor pneumatics; two sets of valves successively intervcning between said sources on the one hand and the motor pneumatics on the other, the set next in order from said sources being operatively connected with the primary pncumatics which require the less air supply, the other set being operatively connected with the primary pneuinatics requiring, the greater air supply, andpneumatically operated means for cutting off communication through the tracker ducts from the first. set.oi primary pneumatics to the second.

7. An automatic musical instrument or player, co1nprising, in combination with motor pneumatics, tuo sets of primary pneumatics. one set adapted to be operated by less air supply than the other; a set of tracker ducts, each of which is connected with a primary pneumatic of each set; means for controlling the admission of air to the ducts, adapted to admit first a less and afterward a greater supply; two sources 01 air under tension for actuating the motor pneumatics; two sets of valves successively intervening between said sources on the one hand and the motor pneumatics on the other, the set next in order from said sources being operatively connected with the primary pneumatics which require the less air supply, and the other set being operatively connected with the primary pneumutlcs requiring the greater air supply, and pneumatically operated means .for cutting off communication through the tracker ducts from the first to the second set of primary pneumatics, and for opening communication of the second set with the outer air.

8. In an automatically operated musical instrument, in

combination, two sets of primary pneumatics, a tracker board and a set of air ducts each of which communicates with' a primary pneumatic of'cach set, and with the tracker board said primary pneumntics of the two sets being adapted to be operated respectively by a less and a. greater supply of air; a controlling sheet having larger and smaller apertures for communication with the same ducts respectively, the smaller aperture being located with respect to the corresponding portion of the entrance to the duct in position to arrive at said portion of the entrance in advance oi. the arrival of the larger aperture at the corresponding portion of the entrance to said duct.

ii. In anautomaticnlly operated musical instrument, in combination, two sets of primary pneumatics and a tracker range having a set of air ducts each of which communicates with a primary pneumatic of each set, the said primary pneumatics of the two sets being adapted to be operated respcctively by a less and a greater supply oi air; a controlling sheet having for communication with the same tracker ducts larger and lesser apertures laterally out of line with each other, the tracker ducts having each a larger anda lesser entrance or mouth at the surface of the tracker board out of line with each other transversely with respect to the controlling sheet, the lesser mouth being rearward with respect to the direction of. travel of the sheet from the larger one.

ll). An automatic musical instrument or player, comprising two sets of primary pncumatics. those of one set having lcalt ports and those of the other so being without icalrports; a tracker hoard having a se 'of ducts, each of which leads to one primary of each set; means for admit air chamber communicating wlththe other source of air chambers 'maries of the first-mentioned so and having ports for communication with the first-men" tioned general air chamber corresponding respectively to the primaries in the latter, and valves operated by said primaries for controlling such communication.

11. An automatic musical instrument or player, coir.- prising in combination with playing devices and motor pnenniatics for operating them, a set of pri v pneumae ics which control such motor pneulnatics respe 'ively; in dividual chambers in which said primari' s are located; a second set of primary pneumatics coriesponding respectively to those of the first-mentioned set; a general air chamber in which all said second set of primary pneumatics are located; a second 'g eneral air chamber and two sources oi aiiunder tension communicatingwith said 'general air chambers; ducts from said individual air chambers communicating with both the general air cham hers; valves which control the ports ol communication of said duets with said general air chambers; primarv pneumatics in the first general air chamber connected with and operating said valves; a tracker board having a set of ducts each of w iich communicates with a primary pnenmatic of each set, said primary pneumaiics oi the two sets differing in respect to the freedom of vent. or leakage, and means for admitting air to the tracker ducts to an extent not materially greater than the leakage of the primary pneumatics having the greater leakage and for subsequently admitting air to a greater extent.

12. An automatic musical instrument or player, comprising, in combination with playing devices and motor pneumatics for operating them, a set of primary pneun'ia= ics for controlling said motor pneumatics r iectivel tvFo general air chambers connected respect y with two sources of air under tension individual chambers in which the primary pneumatics oi the first set are inclosed; a duct from each of said individual chambers havin port of communication with each of the two general air chambers a valve for each of said ducts oscillating for closing their said ports alternatively; primary pneumaties in one of said chambers operatively connected with said valves respectively; a tracker board having a set of ducts, each of which communicates with one primary pneumatic of each set; means controlline the admission oi air into said tracker ducts adapted to admit a lesser and a greater quantity; the primary pneumatics of the first-mentioned set being adapted to be operated. only by the greater uuan tity, and the other primary pneumatics being adapted to be actuated by either the lesser or the greater quantity:

3. An automatic mus al instrument or player, comprising in combination with playing devices and motor pneumatics for actuating them respectively; a set of pri mary pneumatics for controlling the motor pneumatics', individual chambers for each of said primary pueumatics', two general air chambers and ducts from the individual chambers respectively, each having a port of communication with each of said general air chambers; primary pneumaties in one of said chambers controlling commune cation of said ducts through said ports with said general respectively, said primary pneumatic-s being, adapted to be operated by a less supply of: air than the pria tracker board having a set of ducts each of which communicates with a primary of each set; means for contr Hing the entrance of air through said ducts adapted to admit successively a lesser and a greater quantity, and means for cutting ell: communication of said duets with the primaries oi the second set.

14. An automatic musical instrument or player, com prising in combination with playing devices and motor pneumatics for actuating them respectively; a set of pri 'wilh two sources 011 air under tension mary pneumatics for controlling the motor pneumatics; individual chambers for said primary pneumatics res eclively; two general air chambers and ducts from the individual chambers respectively, each having: a port of com nuuiiealion with each of said general air chambers; pri mary pneumalics in one of rid chambers controlling communic lion oi said due th igh said ports with said general chambers respectively, said primary pneumatics being; adapted to be operated by a lo, supply of air than the pri maries oi the iirst-mentioiwd set: a tracker board ha g a set of due each of which communicates with a primary of each set; means for controlling the entrance oi air through said ducts. adapted to admit successively a lesser and a greater quaniitv, and means for cutting: off communication oi said duels with the primaries of the second set, and for simultaneously giving said primaries communication with the outer air,

An automatic musical instrument or player, comin combination with playing devices and motor pneuiualics l'or actuating them respectively, a set of pripneumatics for controlling such motor pneumatics; individual air chambers for said primary pneumatics respectively: two general air chambers in communication ducts from said inhaving each a port ot communicatwo general air chambers; primary said chambers for controlling said having a set of ducts, each of which dividual air chambers t'ion with each oi the pneumatics in one of ports a tracker board communicates with a primary of each set, a valve board.

containing a portion of each of said duets intermediate between the two ses of primaries, movable to effect and deleat air communication from the tracker board to the second sex. of primaries; means for holding; such valve board normally in position for ell'ecting such communication: a motor pneun'iatic for moving it from that position; a pri mary pneumat', for controlling such motor pneumatic and mean-s l'or venting the primary pneumatic.

ll'. An automatic musical instrument or player. com prising, in combination with playing devices and motor pneumai, s for actuating: them respectively, a set oi priiuar' pneuuiatics for controlling such motor pneumatics; individual air chambers for said primary pnenmatics respectively: two general air chambers in communication with two sources of air under tension; ducts from said individual air chambers having each a port of communication with each of the. two general air chambers; primary pneumatics in one. or said chambers for controlling said ports; a tracker board having a set of ducts, each of which communicates with a primary of each set; a valve board eonlainiur; a portion oi each of said ducts which extends intermediate between the two primaries; means for holding id valve board normally in position-[or registering its ducts with the remaining portions thereof and effecting eonnnuniealion ihercthrough to both primaries, said board being movable in two directions away trom said normal position for interrupting such communication by either movement and havinga set of ports open at one end to the outer air and adapted at the other end for registering with the ducts loading to the primaries of the second set at one of said positions.

whereof, i have hereunto set my hand in (,hicago, Illinois, this its 

